Breakout Session

Arctic Science & Business / Industry Cooperation

As access to Arctic regions increases, we have seen a concurrent increase in interest of small businesses and large industry in potential opportunities to explore resource extraction, cold region technology, and infrastructure development.

Scientific studies are often essential precursors to reduce risk associated with investments on the frontiers of new opportunities. Arctic science can facilitate business, but business can also facilitate science, whether through financing, data, or collaboration.

This session will bring together industry representatives, financers, and researchers to explore new opportunities for development in and understanding of the northern high latitudes, and how these opportunities are enabled by and/or contribute to Arctic research. Panelists will highlight examples of how Arctic science has facilitated industry and how Arctic business has enabled Arctic science. The idea being to showcase case studies and best practices to model behaviors and lessons learned to lay ground for future cooperation.

Speakers:

Kelly Drew, Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks: Translating mechanisms of hibernation in Arctic species for rural and remote emergency medicine shows how Arctic research can impact world health.

Sara Longan, Executive Director, North Slope Science Initiative (NSSI), US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management: Perspectives on integrating science into Arctic development planning and approvals

Tara Sweeney, Arctic Economic Council Vice-Chair, Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) Executive Vice President of External Affairs for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation: Perspectives from industry in the Arctic and the broader voice of the AEC, which facilitates Arctic business-to-business activities and responsible economic development through the sharing of best practices, technological solutions, standards, and other information